Chapter 11

Author's Note: I've decided to move my little notes to the top of the page instead of the bottom; it's just easier and I think more effective. :)

First off, I'd really like to say thank you to everyone who is still reading this! The reviews are helpful and encouraging, and I know that I was gone for about two and a half weeks. I'm way sorry, but I'll explain-

I was in Miami for a few days for Nationals for volleyball, and (bragging starts here) my team got second in the nation! (end bragging) Then, my family went on vacation for a little over a week and I just got home today.

And yes, I rushed to my computer just to put out an update for y'all- I hope you enjoy! It's very, very fluffy. ;)After I got over my initial anger at Elli and Ann (although, really, I was mostly grateful and part of the anger was faked,) we all went downstairs with the boys to eat. Ann decided on the arrangements, putting Elli and Dr. Trent, who had shown up during the necklace/gift fiasco, next to each other. Obviously, she placed Gray and I by each other, and she strategetically decided "there was no option left" but to place Cliff beside her. At this I could feel the eyes of Gray, Elli, Trent, and myself roll but Cliff was oblivious as usual to Ann's not-so-subtle flirting.

Once we had ordered our food from Ann's father and had begun to converse casually over dinner rolls, butter, and wine (except for Elli, who preferred grape juice,) Ann decided then that it would be a good time to tease Gray and I. "So, Claire, what were you and our little apprentice here doing in the room, eh? Your hair's a little bit messy…" I could feel my cheeks heat up. Damn Ann, having to add on to an already embarrassing plot conceived by the orange haired girl. I'm so getting her back later, maybe then Cliff won't be so clueless… Ann smirked. "I guess I'll assume from your answer that we all know what was going on…" She looked at Gray and me and winked.

Gray blushed down at his now empty bread plate, and said, "All we did was talk…" I nodded in agreement, my mouth full of food just so I wouldn't snap at my friend.

Ann chuckled. "Sure." Luckily, she then dropped it and we enjoyed our main courses. While I was eating my entrée, which was some exotic grilled chicken dish, I felt the hand that was in my lap move as some rough, calloused fingers intertwined with mine and squeezed gently. I smiled and looked at Gray, who scooted infinitesimally closer to me- so close that even Ann couldn't tell. But I could, and it made me all the happier just knowing he wanted to be closer to me. To want to touch me. To even want to be with me, after the drama we'd gone through in the past month. Really though, both of us were just too shy for our own good. Isn't that ironic that we were shyest around the person we considered closest to us, the person we wanted to open up to? I shrugged it off and enjoyed being in the moment, feeling Gray's fingers on mine and savoring my meal.

"Would you kids like dessert?" Ann's father cheerfully asked as he cleared our empty plates from dinner.

"Um, I'm pretty full…" Elli began to say, rubbing her stomach and grimacing slightly.

Ann jumped in to answer her dad's question herself. "Bring three! We'll share! Cliff and I, Elli and Trent, and Claire and Gray. There's always room for dessert!"

"That's my girl!" Doug went to the back of the restaurant portion of the Inn to prepare.

I was feeling pretty full too. "Gray, you're gonna have to eat most of this… I'm nearly stuffed. Ugh. I'm growing a food baby."

Everyone's eyebrows arched. "Food baby?" Trent asked, perplexed.

I was sort of weirded out that these people hadn't heard the expression before. "You know… A food baby. Where you feel pregnant and your stomach kind of poufs out? But it goes away later. Just for the moment you feel bloated." Nobody was convinced, and I was still considered weird for just a few seconds. It quickly passed once Ann did some trick or other to make herself the weirdo again, and Doug brought out three slices of decadent chocolate cake.

Completely full already, Gray and I finished off our whole slice of cake, although really it was mostly Gray who ate it. Eventually, the six of us left the Inn around eleven that night, groaning from our stuffed stomachs. We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways, and I thought that I was alone until I hit the fork in the road that I took to get to my farm. "Claire?" I jumped, hearing my name in the dark after I thought that I was alone.

I whipped around and was relieved to see it was only Gray. "Yes?"

Even though I could barely see his face very well, I knew that Gray was fidgeting and nervous. "Um, can I take you somewhere?"

I giggled, giddy with excitement. Anything could happen now that our feelings for each other were out in the open. "Of course, Gray. But let's not go too quickly, I can barely even waddle with all that I ate. I feel like I gained 300 pounds…"

Gray chuckled. "Well, I promise you don't look it." He cocked his hat like he always did and he took my small hand in his. "Just follow me."

After we reached my farm, he kept walking. I sort of thought he'd just hang out with me at my farm, but I followed him past it anyway. We walked south and went deep into the untamed forest. I was a little afraid of a wild animal getting us, although I'd never seen any nor heard Gotz mention any, and every so often I'd trip over a stick or rock. Each time, Gray would ask with concern, "Are you okay?" And every time, I'd nod and answer that I was fine.

The worst part came when we had to tread up a very steep hill. I'd never even been to this part of Mineral Town, and at this point I wasn't sure if we were even within the land owned by Mineral Town. "Where… Are we? Where are we going?"

Gray squeezed my hand. "You'll see. We're almost there." After a few more tiring steps, Gray finally stopped walking. "We're here. Luckily we made it just around midnight so it's at its highest…"

I was confused for a second until I looked up and gasped. The moon was almost sparkling, and it looked like it was directly above my head and Gray's. "It's… Beautiful." I said, barely able to speak. "Back in the city I never saw the moon. It was always too bright in the sky from all of the lights coming from the houses… Nobody paid any attention to it."

Gray nodded. "I know. I barely remember the city though… When I was thirteen my parents sent me here to live with Gramps. They were tired of my 'anger problem.'" He sighed, and I was scared I'd ruined the night.

"You don't have anger problems…" I said, trying to comfort him. "Not that I know of, anyway. I think you're great." I kissed his cheek, and this time he didn't run away and it really wasn't awkward at all. I wasn't even that nervous this time!

Gray looked at me and smiled sadly. "Claire… Even the hotel room, don't you remember? When I was yelling at you? I made youcry…" I thought back and remembered that Gray had yelled at me, but I totally understood. Anyway, because a teenage boy yelled periodically is no valid reason to send him to a faraway town… But I wasn't going to comment on his parents' decisions.

"Well, no matter what happened, or how it happened, I'm so glad you came here. And that I came here. And we met, and…" I couldn't even find more words, I just smiled dopily. Gray smiled too, and the distance between us became less and less. His calloused hand was surprisingly soft as it barely grazed my cheek, and my heart began to pound louder and louder with each beat. My cheeks blazed and my mouth dropped, and Gray pressed right up against me… His face came closer and closer… And he stroked my shoulder, and pulled me into a tight embrace, and then let go and stepped back.

Still in a sort of shock, I guess I made some sort of sad noise that he didn't kiss me like I expected him to. He chuckled. "I knew it would work!"

"You're such a dick!" I yelled teasingly. I started stepping away from the boy and he followed me, trying to kiss me but every time I would duck my head and he'd miss and either trip or get a mouthful of thick blonde hair.

He turned away. "Fine!" He said, and I giggled. I crept over to him, trying not to be heard, figuring it'd be easy since his back was to me. But at the last second, he turned around and pounced, and somehow we were both on the ground. He was fierce too- He pinned me to the ground and smashed his lips down on mine, and yet… It was nice. Not too rough, but fun. He coyly licked my lip and I let his tongue in my mouth, and I couldn't have ever imagined being happier.

I'm not sure what time it was when all of this started, and I'm not sure how long our playing went on. But what I do know is some time later, my eyes opened to bright rays of sunlight and my body was tucked into Gray's; his strong arm wrapped around my entire torso, holding me against his still-sleeping body.